Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, June 25, 2009

No excuses for Joe's behavior: Mayor Phil Gordon should be commended as a true hero for continuing to stand up to the tyrant Joe Arpaio. The sheriff's consorting with neo-Nazis shows a level of despicableness that's beyond anything I've seen in this county in the past 20 years!

There's simply no excuse for such behavior on Arpaio's part! None!

The corrupt Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has already tried to [trump up] something criminal on Phoenix's mayor for daring to criticize Herr Arpaio for his immigrant sweeps. And, no doubt, it'll do it again. These Sheriff's Office goons think they can get away with anything because their boss gets 55 percent of the vote.

Well, where is the Barack Obama administration?! Get going on the U.S. Attorney appointment so that person can bring down the wrath of [Washington] on this Nazi-loving dictator.D.D. Larsen, Tempe

We've got your back, Phil: Until the past six months or so, I thought Phil Gordon was a weenie. But I have a new view of our mayor — as a man of substance, somebody who's willing to risk the wrath of Joe to do what's right. Go Phil! We've got your back.Tony Renteria, Phoenix

How is it possible?: How can the feds allow Joe Arpaio to keep his 287(g) program while he's running around with these criminal motorcycle groups, neo-Nazis, and who knows who else?

I don't want my tax dollars going to fund someone who has extremists like these as allies. How can the Obama administration possibly condone this?George Cruise, Glendale

Phil's got balls: Thank God for Mayor Phil Gordon! While other politicians, like Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, sit back and take it up the ass from Joe Arpaio, Phil grabs his balls and speaks out.

We may not have had the votes to remove Joe and his wife, County Attorney Andrew Thomas, in the last election, but our forces are building up steam. Another election is a long time away, however. When President Obama appoints another U.S. Attorney in Phoenix, [that official] simply must intensify the investigation of the misdeeds of these men.

We need sanity to prevail in our troubled county. Phoenix will never be the major city we long for it to be until the Joe & Andy Show is canceled around here.Jonnie Morris, Phoenix

Giving bikers a bad name: These wanna-be biker badasses [who support Joe Arpaio] are pussies. I know people in the Hells Angels who would kick their asses and piss on them in a New York minute.

This guy with the beard [pictured beside The Bird column] probably works at Home Depot. What a bunch of freakin' losers. They give all bikers a bad name.Name withheld

I really enjoyed her recent article "sex, lies, and videotape(s)." Her last line, "What the fuck ever, dude" was the perfect way to end the story. I had to laugh. There couldn't be a better way to sum up the mentality of Sheriff Joe and the MCSO.

As for the people of Maricopa County, is this the kind of county we want to live in? A place where any criminal can be free from arrest and prosecution just by muttering such words? Is this the kind of county — a place where we live and breathe, work, and raise our families — where we want this kind of injustice?

Or, as one reader of New Times from California [pointed out about our county], "Hell, I've heard it called 'Aribama'," and he went on to say, "I really hope that you, the people of Arizona, start doing a hell of a lot more."

"Aribama" sounds pretty fitting to me. Or maybe we should change the name of Maricopa County to "Don't Give a Fuck County."

To all the Hispanic people being racially profiled and deported, try using this line in Spanish to Joe Arpaio: "What the Fuck Ever, Jose." You never know: Based on past experience, he may find it in his good graces to leave you alone.Tom Koslosky, Phoenix

ORCHESTRAL MANEUVERS

What's that smell at Symphony Hall?: Many thanks to Stephen Lemons for shedding some light on the current state of the workplace at the Phoenix Symphony. According to some, what was once a labor of love for these musicians has become a nightmare gig over the past few years.

This music director [Michael Christie] came here with a very ugly agenda, which seems to have had nothing to do with improving the music-making in the orchestra and everything to do with personal power and self-glorification.

It is interesting to many that the players who have been injured by the evil management are some of the most visible and highly respected musicians of the orchestra and, mostly, players who are in leadership positions.